Beginning of the End
by FarewellfromFaith
Summary: Lucis wasn't always at war. Years before, it was relatively peaceful, and one of the safest places to live. Told through the eyes of Azrael, a hopeful for the military Infiltration Squadron, she must face trial and error time and again to meet the high standards of her family, and meet a few unexpected people along the way. And then everything falls apart in a split second.
1. Stains On the Family Tree

_**...Chapter One: Stains On the Family Tree...**_

 _My tiny bare feet pattered in the dirt, a smudge on my cheek and my white dress fluttering about my knees. A laugh left me as the wind whipped through my hair, blowing the reddish-blonde strands out like a halo and almost untying the white ribbon bow on top of my head. I was only seven, and childish innocence was my friend. I giggled again as I skidded to a stop to pluck a sprig of freesia from a planter. My mother's favorite. That done, I began to run through the gardens again, the flowers held close to my chest and a bright smile on my face, a twinkle in my eyes._

 _The wind died down a bit and I could hear the water falling into the fountains around me. I left the dirt and found a stone paved path leading to the front of the manor. It was summer in the crown city, and the air was filled with the sounds of the nearby sea and people on the streets talking and laughing. I followed the path, well known to me, to the back door, open to allow in the fresh air._

 _I was probably leaving dirty footprints on the marble floor of the main level of my family's manor, but the thought didn't bother my young mind. Instead, I giggled again as I passed a rather indignant maid. "Azrael, where are your shoes?" she called after me, but I just sped up until I was in the foyer. My father was exiting the front door, his hands folded behind his back._

 _"Papa!" I yelled, following him outside again. He didn't turn around, and I slowed as I heard a car door slam. Confused, I looked around the door frame, gasping at the sight. My mother sat in the family's convertible, glaring at my father. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled into a severe chignon, and her heart-shaped face, normally stunning, was twisted into a grimace as my father approached. A servant was loading bags into the back, and I recognized the luggage as my mother's._

 _My father still stood on the steps, and I timidly asked, "Papa? What's going on? When's Mama coming back?" I jumped as the trunk of the car closed with a metallic slam._

 _"She's not," he stated, turning on his heel and striding back into the manor without a glance my way._

 _I gasped again, this time in fear, and began running to the car, just as it began to turn out to the street. The freesia fell out of my grasp, and I tripped over my own feet as tears sprung into my eyes. I could feel the skin on my knees split, and that added onto the pain I was in as I watched the license plate disappear. I struggled for air through my crying, and sat helpless on the driveway. I could hear the click of heels nearing, and glanced up at my sisters, Adelia and Adelphia, the twins. They were three years older, smart, beautiful, and well-mannered. Everything a noble family could want of its daughters, and the exact opposite of me.  
_

 _"I hope you know it's your fault," said Adelia, a cruel smile on her face. So much like our mother's._

 _"If only you had been a boy," continued Adelphia, an equally malicious, taunting smirk marring her delicate features._

 _"Wh-what? No!" I yelled, stumbling to my feet. They kept smiling, and their faces became more and more cruel. "No!"_

* * *

"No!" I yelled, a loud thump going through the spacious room as I fell to the floor in a tangle of sheets. I groaned and used the edge of the bed to pull myself to my feet, rubbing the last images of the nightmare away with the traces of sleep. My feet stuck to the floor as I walked to the bathroom. Why my ancestors choose stone and hardwood for all the rooms in the manor, I would never know. Why my parents chose to keep it was equally baffling.

My eyes fell on the black and grey uniform waiting for me on a stand near my bathroom door, and I snorted. Today was the beginning of the end of my life; the final trials to enter the advanced courses of the Lucis military academy. I pushed the cream-painted door open, then stretched my arms over my head to loosen my tense back and shoulders. My gaze then fell on the mirror, and my reflection. I stepped up to the vanity, leaning my whole weight on it as I studied myself.

A heart-shaped face, pale green eyes, high cheek bones, a long and thin nose with a rounded end, a narrow chin, and a cupid's bow mouth, all surrounded by a shock of shoulder length, curly strawberry blonde hair. I might have been cute, pretty maybe, if it wasn't for my nose being too thin for how long it was, the smattering of freckles across it and my cheeks, and the too defined widow's peak. I had my mother's bone structure, but my father's features, and it was an odd mix. And I wasn't very tall, and had more muscle than a sixteen year old lady should.

Oh, well. Screw the world, I liked how I looked. Shrugging, I smiled and tugged off my nightclothes, turning the shower to the right temperature and stepping in. I didn't take long, and toweled off as fast as possible before putting on my uniform. Loose black pants with ties at the knees, a grey tank top and black jacket that only went to my sternum, and had ties at the elbows before flaring out to allow my hands full movement. The sleeves ended about an inch and a half before my wrists. And finally, the black riding-style boots laced up to my knees. I'd get my utility belt and weapons at the academy, since students below silver level (I was still bronze) weren't allowed to take anything deadlier than a dull pencil home.

Laughing at my own joke, I hurried to brush my mess of hair while it was still wet and manageable. I'd heard from some of my friends that hair wasn't normally like that, but mine was easier to style while it was weighed down by water. Nodding to my reflection, I finally pushed open my bedroom door, smiling and waving to the maid passing my door on her way to Adelphia's room.

"Good morning, Miss Azrael! Excited for today?" she asked, smiling back.

I laughed as I started down the spiral staircase, "More than I can explain!" She laughed as well, and I was left with the sound of my boot heels on the metal stairs. Sunlight filtered in through soaring floor-to-ceiling window, the top of which were stained glass, and it sparkled off the crystal chandeliers and silver picture frames, most of which held paintings as old as the house, somehow kept in good condition and the images were still clear.

I jogged through the lowest level to the dining hall, as resplendent as the rest of the house. Unlike much of Insomnia, the D'Agostino estate was in pale cream and white. I slowed as I saw my father sitting at the head of the overly long dining table that could easily seat twenty people. And it used to, before my family began to have mostly girls. _No, don't think about that, Azrael. Don't drive yourself insane with guilt._ I shook my head and forced a smile on my face.

"Good morning, father. I hope you slept well," I said with a bow of my head.

"Hmph." I flinched at his disinterested tone. "I see you're ready for the trials." _Of course that's all he's interested in. I must keep the family tradition, after all._

"Of course, father." I felt my smile fall as I pulled out my designated spot, the farthest from my father, and sat down. I said nothing more as my sisters, chatting happily in their twin-speak, stepped through the entry way. My fists clenched when my father stood and walked over to them, embracing them both. And of course they got to wear full length skirts and fancy jewelry.

"My darlings!" he crowed, leading them past me and to their seat, one on either side of him. "Come, you must tell me about your schedule for today, I want to be at all of your debates."

"Yes, daddy!" they sang in unison, the servants running to pull out and push in their chairs for them. I cleared my throat and wrung my hands as I worked up the courage to speak again.

"Uh, father?" I flinched again when his icy green eyes snapped over to me. "My testing begins at twelve thirty. I was... Hoping you could be there?"

His glare lessened for a moment, and I sat straighter with hope budding in my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Your sister's have priority today."

All energy left me, and I slumped against the high back of my chair. "Right. How could I forget?" I asked no one, and I looked back up just in time to catch Adelia's sympathetic frown. Adelphia was glaring at our father.

"Actually, daddy, that's our lunch break, and we were planning on peaking in on the trials," Adelia began.

"And we heard Julianus was going to be there as a judge," Adelphia finished, as always. I smiled at them gratefully, and they smiled back. They looked so much like our mother with their platinum blonde hair pulled into high buns it was painful. And the memory of them blaming me for her leaving in my nightmare was still fresh. I glanced back down at my hands to fight the tears forming again.

But the mention of my cousin got my father's attention. Julianus was the pride and joy of our family at the moment, and had recently been promoted to the Infiltration Squadron, second only to the palace guard. Staggering for a low-ranking house like ours, and what I had to aim for in order to be seen as worth the family name.

"Well... If you insist." My father looked like this was the very last thing he wanted to do, but if it was for his _darling daughters_ and to see his nephew, he'd probably agree to go cliff-diving.

Some time later, I ran through the crowds of students in the underbelly of the coliseum. The ceiling soared high above us, supported by columns and arches, and the floor were scuffed marble. All students were wearing similar uniforms as me. Our uniforms were tailored to our skill set, and it was easy to pick out who did what by the modifications. Mages wore suits if they were male, and blazers and pencil skirts if female. Mages were always kept out of the front lines, so they were judged on magic ability alone. Summoners wore similar t-shirts and jeans. Hand-to-hand combatants wore fingerless gloves, high-necked shirts, and somewhat loose cargo pants.

Then there were the sword wielders like me. I used a mix of a broadsword and throwing knives, but since there wasn't a class for them specifically, I was lumped with them. As I found my place in line, a murmur of excitement drew my eyes to the entryway I had just passed through, and the sight that met me nearly made me trip over my own feet. My cousin was walking through the arched door. Tall, pale blond hair, acid green eyes, and in armor. He was hard to miss, but it was who he followed that made my heart skip a beat.

The royal family had come to watch.

 _Great._

* * *

"Right this way, Your Majesty, Your Highness." Julianus bowed slightly as they passed, followed closely by three teens and a smattering of guards. "And friends," he joked as the prince's friends passed him, and Prompto and Gladiolus smiled at him. Ignis remained professional, which was difficult for an eighteen year old. But he was the oldest of the group and had to act it, especially with the normal antics of the blond gunner.

"Heya, Julianus. Whatcha been up to?" asked said blond gunner as they trailed behind the royals. The prince, Noctis, glanced back once with a polite nod of acknowledgment.

"Eh, not much." Julianus smiled warmly at the younger teens. "Just helping my younger cousin prep for the trails."

"D'Agostino, you _know_ that's against the laws of the trials," snapped his superior officer. She glared at him with her arms crossed and he could swear her hair was curling in a wind that had not been there before.

"Yes, ma'am, I am well aware. But can you tell me, looking me in the eyes, that those here from higher ranking houses than my own haven't had private tutors for years?" The superior officer, Bellona Nerio, floundered for words for a moment, then went back to glaring at Julianus. They finally neared the instructors, who were chatting in whispers. Their conversation went silent when they saw who accompanied Julianus and Bellona. "Besides, ma'am, she's only had about two months of private teaching. And I can tell you she could be one of the best this country has seen."

"I'll take your word for it," Bellona said drily, then called to the students, making many of them flinch, "Welcome! I would hope you all know at least who I am, and what division I work for, so I won't waste your time with introductions. I would also hope you know what today entails. We wish you luck."

"Thank you, ma'am," said one of the instructors, flipping the cover sheet off a clipboard, on which the names and ranks of all the students was written on. "We will begin in reverse alphabetical order." And so it began. A name would be called, a student stepped forward and bowed, their ranking was read, and they would return to line. It was tedious and boring, and Julianus struggled to not roll his eyes. Some things never changed, and this had been the same system used when he had been in school nearly four years ago.

And after what seemed like hours, a familiar name was called, and he perked up. "D'Agostino, Azrael!" His little cousin stepped forward from near the back of the crowd of students, and her belt jingled slightly from the four daggers on it, two on each hip. A sword was strapped to her back, with the hilt over her left shoulder, and thin silver chains glimmered at her wrists.

As she neared the front, a round of snickers filled the room. "She's so tiny!" said one of the hand-to-hand students.

"How did she even make it this far?" a mage asked her neighbor.

Julianus chuckled, as did a few of the sword wielding students, drawing the confused gazes of most of the students. The male instructor continued with an exasperated tone, "D'Agostino, Azrael, sixteen. Bronze class, sword wielder with electric based powers. Tier," and here he faltered again, staring confusedly at the chart. The muttering of the students picked up again, this time quickly dying away. The instructor cleared his throat and finished, "Tier zero."

A general chorus of "What?" filled the space, and Azrael's lip curled in annoyance. Looking to Julianus' group near the door, she bowed again, deeper this time, and turned on her heel to return to her place in line. The other students cleared a path for her, staring in astonishment. How could a girl who was only sixteen and no more than 5'4" be a tier zero?

"Keep an eye on her," the king whispered to Bellona, to which she nodded silently, her expression one of extreme concentration. The king waved to his guards and began to walk back to the doorway, no doubt to the royal box at the top of the coliseum. Before they could get there, another name was called, and the sounds of metal scraping stone bounced of the walls. Two voices shouted at each other, and the royal party turned back to see the two instructors running towards two male students as the rest of the class backed away in fear.

Before the instructors could reach the brawling students, a crackle of ozone filled the air, and one of them was on the ground, nursing a bloody nose. The other still standing had a split lip, and he stared at a small hand just barely held three inches from his face, the rings on the pointer and ring finger sparking and arcing with electricity.

"Get back in line, Marcus. You can't afford another infraction," Azrael said, her jade-colored eyes like chips of ice. The named student stared at her fist, then back away slowly, picking up his dropped sword and re-sheathing it before finding his place again. Azrael did the same.

The king smiled, laughing before saying, "Keep a very close eye on her."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Bellona agreed, smiling for the first time. Julianus couldn't fight his own grin, and he waved goodbye to the four teens as he jogged over to the instructors. "Good day, Instructor Caito, Instructor Donati." They both rolled their eyes at him.

"You're late," said Donati, her tone one of annoyance.

"Something came up." Julianus laughed at her expression. She got annoyed too easily.

"There always is," Caito sighed in resignation, already used to the older D'Agostino's antics. He quickly finished up the roll, then turned to the other two, "Well, let's get this show rolling, huh?"

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading this far. I swear this is only the tip of the iceberg, and that the canon characters will show up more and more as time goes on. If you have any questions, please message me or leave it in a review. Azrael's complete profile is available on my Tumblr, to which there is a link on my profile. It's a role play blog, but I will answer any questions you have for me there as well.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to own any part of the Final Fantasy series.  
**


	2. Nothing Personal

_**...Chapter Two: Nothing Personal...**_

"Alright, kiddies!" Instructor Caito called over the din of the two hundred students. "The trials would have been explained to you already, but let me reiterate. You will be split into groups based on your skill set and ability level. The teams were decided at the last tests in your combat classes. General ed has no deciding factor." Julianus couldn't help the chuckle building in his throat as several students sighed in relief. "And it goes without saying," Caito continued, "that how you preform here today determines your placement in the advanced courses."

Donati stepped forward with her hands folded behind her back, "Now, on to the rules of the matches. First and foremost, use restraint. Permanently maiming an opponent will get you disqualified, and if it is severe enough, kicked out of the program." Her dark eyes turned steely as a few students groaned. "Need I remind you that murder is a hanging offense?" In the harsh florescent lighting and with her dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, the jagged scar over her right eye was in sharp relief. That scar was why the rule was stressed every year. The other girl was no doubt rotting in a jail cell right now for blinding Donati in that eye, and Donati herself had to give up her dreams of joining the palace guard.

"Secondly, this will be a game of survival. The team with the most members out of five standing at the end of fifteen minutes wins the match. What this means is, if you are knocked out of bounds you are no longer a part of the match," said Caito, his bass voice resonating off the walls.

Julianus stepped forward as well, smiling at the crowd of teens, "And lastly, don't forget that scouts for the various branches of the military will be in attendance, myself included. This would be the time to get a little flashy. Just please know your limits." With his final words said, he waved to the Instructors and jogged out to the entry halls. Citizens of Insomnia were swarming into the staircases, the elevators out of commission for the day. A general air of excitement permeated the space, and Julianus smiled as he made his way to the king's private box, his superiors and the royal family already seated, as were the scouts of the other branches.

"Hey again," Prompto grinned at the older blond as he moved to stand behind the prince. Julianus smiled back, but said nothing as he set his feet shoulder width apart and folded his hands behind his back. From this moment until he was dismissed, he was on duty as guard to the king and prince.

"D'Agostino," began Bellona, "while we wait, can you tell us a bit more about your cousin?"

His smile returned at her interest, "Well, to start, she began training at twelve-"

"Isn't that a tad young?" asked Cor Leonis, the current head of the royal family guards, his expression disturbed.

"I started younger. My family tends to go to extremes. She's had it even tougher since her mother left." Cor seemed to understand that it was a sensitive topic and dropped it, turning back to the arena in the center of the coliseum.

"Please, continue," said the king.

"Of course, Your Majesty. She may be smaller than her fellow students, but she uses that to her advantage, and is quite a bit stronger than she looks," here he rubbed his left side, where threes ribs were still healing from being dislocated. "And she has already achieved a Limit Break." The entire group in the box turned to him in shock.

"Impossible!" yelled one of the guards behind him. "Limit Breaks take years to achieve, and some never do! How could a runt like her-"

Julianus whipped around and cut him off with a glare that could melt ice. "Need I remind you that is my _cousin_ and student you are referring to?" He was itching to take out the daggers from his boots, "Did I say it was stable?"

"N-no. No, you didn't... Sir," the guard backed up several steps, much to the amusement of Julianus.

"Well, it's not yet, and it happens to have several restrictions."

"How so?" asked Bellona from directly in front of him.

He laughed without any real humor, "Let's just say her opponents are very lucky there isn't a storm system nearby today."

* * *

My fists clenched as I waited for my name to be called again, this time along with my team. I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Caius, the boy who had tried to start a fight with Marcus earlier and wound up with a bloody nose. He'd been glowering at me since he'd gotten it to stop, and so were his 'friends'. They were all in the top of their classes, but I knew they didn't get there through the right means.

While I waited, I fiddled with the chains on my arm. They were thin, but made of some alloy that allowed them to be flexible but not break. All in all, each was about twenty feet long at full extension, and had a weighted clasp that provided me with a way to attach my knives to them, or use them as a means of escape. I unhooked one of the clasps and pulled the chain tighter, just as my name was called. I jumped slightly and ran over to my new team. Except for Marcus and a girl named Isadora, I knew none of them.

I cringed as Caius and his friends were put on the same team, and they snickered as they passed us on their way to the pits of the arena. The rest of the teams, forty in all, followed our instructors to our seats as the first two teams of mages were called out. I flinched again as the crowds in the seats above began cheering, and the shouts were amplified by the shape of the arena.

I peeked out from the pits, groaning as I took in the sheer number of people in the crowd. I knew the coliseum could seat at most 25,000 people, and from where I was, it looked like every seat was filled. I could also see the king's private box from here, but not who was in it. At least I knew where the people who were deciding my future were sitting.

I heard a particularly loud shout from the arena, and looked to it just in time to be pulled out of the way by Marcus. One of the kids from the first team of mages had gotten blasted out of the ring by a fire spell, and he landed with a grunt right where my feet had been two seconds before. I smiled sheepishly, and he gave a toothy grin in return.

"Consider that my thanks for saving my butt back there," he motioned with his thumb to the door we had come through.

"Er... Thanks?" It wasn't supposed to be a question, and he smiled again as he lightly punched my shoulder. I made a big show of rubbing it and glaring at him, and he laughed at my fake fierce look, slinging an arm over my shoulders.

"No need to thank me," he hugged me tighter for a second, "teammate."

I rolled my eyes, and the next two teams of mages were called into the ring, to a roar of approval from the stands. "Right, _teammate._ " I elbowed him in the ribs, earning a light grunt. "I can still kick your ass, honey."

He let me go, holding the sore spot, and laughed lightly, "Wouldn't doubt it." We both sat back against the wall of the pit, watching what we could of the match from where we were. Our other teammates, whose names I now could remember, eventually joined us, and started up a commentary on the matches.

"Oh, Fire spell right to the backside!" Emidius, a stocky boy with close-cropped back hair, laughed while cringing, "That's gotta hurt!"

"Not as much as that Water Whip to the head," Geordian, a tall and thin eighteen year old, pointed out, nodding to the girl who was flying out of the ring, landing with a wet thud.

"Will you two shut it?" barked Isadora, a girl around my age with chin length brown hair, glaring at them. "Clearly the best tactic used so far was Earth-shaker." Both boys waved her comment away, rolling their eyes.

"You're just saying that because it was your sister, Isabella," I poked her side with a small, joking smile.

"Well, of course!" she joked back, placing her head in her hands and staring out at the ring, where said sister was walking back to the pits, victorious. The two fist bumped, and Isabella walked out of the pits to the locker rooms under the stands. Next, the first teams of summoners was called up.

I zoned out after that, although I was pretty sure someone mentioned Leviathan at some point, and there were a few gunshots at another. Before I knew it, Marcus was tapping me on the shoulder while the other three climbed the steps into the arena.

"Hm?" I looked up at him, confused.

"C'mon, it's our turn," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet.

"Bu- What? I thought the hand-to-hand-students were before us?" My brows pulled together as he tugged me to the arena.

He laughed and tussled my hair, "You're so oblivious sometimes." The _'You're cute'_ was pretty obvious in his tone. I rolled my eyes and let him pull me to the center of the arena, where our opponents were standing. I stared around at the maze constructed in the center, the sprawling structure battered from the previous battles.

My gaze flicked to our opposing team, and my heart fluttered for a moment. It just _had_ to be Caius, didn't it? He and his goons were glaring and snickering at us as we neared, and I saw Caius himself lean in to say something in his teammate's ear. From where I was, it looked like, _'Get the girl.'_

I was pretty sure they weren't referring to Isadora.

Pushing the thought to the back of my mind, I stepped up to where the rest of my team stood and readied my sword. A single gong sounded, and both teams rushed forward. The sounds of blades meeting was drowned out by the roar of the crowds, and I flinched as the sun slanted into my eyes. My opponent, a much taller, older boy, took advantage of my momentary lapse of focus, and aimed a kick at my ribs. I grunted as it connected, but rolled with it as I fell.

I continued rolling until I was back on my feet, and held a low stance as he advanced again. He was six feet from me when Caius came up behind him to push him out of the way. The other teen glared, but backed down and ran off to another section of the maze. As Caius neared me, the noise from the stands was drowned out by the rush of blood in my ears.

"Sorry, girlie," I heard him say as if through water, "it's nothing personal. Can't be upstaged by a little girl, now can I?" That tipped my anger over the edge. Growling, I shot forward, swinging my sword in a wide arc. Time seemed to slow as he brought his own blade up, and the two rang as they met.

Right as an explosion ripped through the air and knocked me back through a wall.

* * *

Julianus joined the others in idle chat and laughter as the matches progressed. He would wince whenever a student was knocked out of the ring, but smiled nonetheless when a team would wave at the judges after a win. He paid particular attention to those that showed the most promise, as did the others.

"Ah! There she is!" Prompto said excitedly as Azrael was dragged into the arena, and everyone laughed at her rather confused expression. Except Cor; he looked more than slightly annoyed.

"Daydreaming, was she?" he grumbled, glancing over at Julianus on his right.

"Forgive my bluntness, sir, but she is still a kid, and this is a rather big day. I don't blame her for being a little dazed; I know I was," countered Julianus. Cor grumbled something to himself and turned back to the arena as the gong sounded. Prompto and Gladiolus watched in rapt attention as the two teams rushed at each other. But something immediately stuck out to Julianus, and, it seemed, Cor and Bellona. One of the members of the team opposing Azrael's picked up the other girl after disarming her by the throat, threw her a few feet into the air, then sucker punched her out of the ring.

"That was an illegal move!" shouted Bellona, standing and moving to the railing, leaning out and looking for the referee.

"As was that," growled Cor, motioning with his head to another tussling pair. This time, Emidius was sent flying by the pommel of a sword to the face, and the other teen brought his sword back around to slash him across the stomach.

"Why are the refs not calling this?" yelled Julianus, panic creeping into his voice as he looked for Azrael.

"Where _are_ the refs?" asked Noctis, the first thing he'd said all day. And for the first time, he didn't look bored, joining Bellona and his friends at the rail.

"That's it, this match is over," Cor turned on his heel and made for the door. As he was placing his hand on the knob, an explosion from the ring forced him to brace himself against the door. "What the hell?!" Prompto began to hold his ears as the shouts from the stands turned to screams of fear.

"The little creeps sneaked in explosives!" Julianus finally broke position and moved to join his superior, searching through the dust and smoke for his cousin. He noticed Cor right himself and make for the door again, but froze as the king's calm voice called back.

"Wait," Regis said, remaining seated and tenting his fingers, staring over them to the ring.

"But- Your Majesty, the children-" Bellona began, gesturing to the settling dust cloud, cut off by Regis raising a hand.

"With all due respect, Miss Nerio, I believe the children are handling themselves well." He smiled and nodded calmly to the arena. The commander's brows pulled together as she turned back around and squinted through the dust, catching sight of two figures near the very edge of the maze. Or rather, swinging from the ruins near the edge. As the dust settled further, it became obvious what the figures were.

Azrael held onto Marcus with one arm, the other hand holding one of the chains from her wrists as she swung them back into the ring. The crowd in the stands went silent in shock.

"Did I just see that right?" Prompto raised an eyebrow as he stared at Julianus, who was staring intently at his cousin as she rolled to a stop. Prompto was even more confused as the girl looked up directly at her cousin, who nodded silently. Azrael turned back to Marcus, whispering something that they were too far away to hear. He nodded, readying his blade and crouching into a fighting stance. Azrael unhooked the other chain from her left arm and hooked a dagger onto both, then let them both hang from her hands, swinging them in slow, steady circles.

The one in her right hand snapped forward as the opposite team's leader charged, the chain wrapping around his sword and tugging him forward, then landing a roundhouse kick to his jaw and knocking him back several feet. His sword clattered to the pavement as Marcus managed to knock one of the other four out of bounds.

While Caius was still dazed, Azrael caught another opponent by the ankle, sending him flying. One of the last three charged her in a blind rage, and she ducked his too wide swing, again catching a blade with the chains, ripping it out of his grasp and into her own. She dropped the chains, holding the tip of the stolen blade to the other teen's throat. The boy glared at her for a moment, then kicked out at her ankles. She jumped over it easily, then kicked him the last few feet over the edge of the arena. His teammate that Marcus fought soon joined him.

Caius began to stand, and Marcus started towards him, stopped by Azrael placing a hand on his chest. She said something again, which could now be heard in the shock-induced silence.

"Marcus, I'm begging you, stay out of this," she said, and he reluctantly nodded. Azrael dropped the sword and strode over to where Caius now stood, stopping about five feet from him and raising her fists to protect her face.

"You sure 'bout that, girlie?" Caius snarled, laughing at his own sick joke.

"Is she really serious?" Prompto asked Julianus, who bit his lip in worry, his hands tightening on the railing. The blond teen's gaze whipped back to the arena as Caius's sword again clattered to the cracked paving. The two teens stood motionless for a tense moment, then darted forward at an unknown signal.

Caius swung first, aiming for Azrael's face. It looked like it would hit, but she darted under it at the last second, throwing her own punch at his gut, then pushing him back with a kick to the knee. He stumbled back, almost over the edge to the pits, but her hand darted out and grabbed his collar. Azrael yanked him back into the arena, and while he was still off-balance kicked him again, this time in the stomach. He landed flat on his back, his head two inches from the pits.

Azrael leaned down, grabbing his collar again and pulling his face close to hers. The group in the king's box waited with bated breath, straining to hear what she said. "Sorry buddy. Nothing personal." She smiled calmly for a moment before grimacing and punching him in the face, electricity arcing from her rings and sending him over the edge.

The crowds finally broke out of their shock, roaring in approval as Azrael stood and walked back to where Marcus leaned against a wall, the picture of serenity. Azrael grabbed his hand, holding it as high as she could, much to the crowd's enjoyment. The refs finally decided to show up, and Cor snorted in disgust as he yanked the door open and stomped down the steps, quickly followed by the prince, his friends, Bellona, and Julianus. They made it to the foyer quickly, and began searching for Azrael. They could hear thousands of feet on the steps near them, and stuck together to avoid getting lost.

"Father!" an excited voice called, and they turned to see Azrael waving and running to a tall, severe looking blond man, followed by two older teens who were obviously his other daughters.

"Bring the car around," the man barked at a servant, who nodded and followed the three out.

Azrael slowed to a stop, her hand slowly lowering and her expression falling. She kicked at the ground, turned, and began to walk through the growing crowd to the locker rooms. Julianus looked pleadingly to Bellona, and she rolled her eyes.

"Go. Give her the praise she deserves." Bellona pushed his shoulder, and he took off after his cousin, not knowing that the prince and his friends followed after him. As she was about to tug open the door, Julianus caught her in a headlock and mussed her now loose ponytail even further.

"There's my little champ!" he yelled, drawing a few eyes of those exiting the coliseum.

"J, why?" she yelled, tugging on his hand to try to pull it away, but he just held her tighter.

"'Cause, A, you did amazing, and we gotta celebrate! I happen to know it's 16 to 20 night at your favorite club tonight, and we're going!" He placed his other hand on his hip, grinning at the still struggling girl.

"I'm gonna have to wear heels, aren't I?" she asked, and Julianus laughed, ruffling her hair again. Grimacing, she stomped on his foot, and while he was distracted ducked out from under his arm, yelling over her shoulder, "Race ya to the car!"

"You little snot!" he yelled back, chasing after her with a slight limp.

"Think we should follow them?" Noctis asked, glancing at his friends.

"Sure, sounds like fun!" Prompto began bouncing on his heels and rubbing his hands together. Gladiolus rolled his eyes but shrugged in agreement.

"Your father will not approve," Ignis began, sighing when Prompto turned to him with pleading eyes, "but I suppose a night out couldn't cause too much trouble."

* * *

 **Thank you once again for reading! Please leave a review, or send in a comment on Tumblr! I love hearing what you think!  
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 **Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to own any part of the Final Fantasy series.**


	3. Slip Up

_**...Chapter Three: Slip Up...**_

I really hated my cousin sometimes. Or rather, his girlfriend. Once we were back in his apartment, she pulled me into the master bathroom, where she proceeded to poke and prod, pluck and paint, and stick me into the glitziest, glitter-covered crop top and skinny jeans. My face felt numb yet tingly, I was sure there was ten pounds of makeup masterfully painted on my skin, and my earlobes were weighed down with large gold earrings. When Portia finally permitted me to see my reflection, I gasped from shock and wonder.

She truly knew what she was doing. My eyes shimmered with dark shadow, my lashes curled and lengthened with mascara, and my lips painted a deep red. My normally unruly blonde hair was straightened and pulled back into a high ponytail, accentuating my cheekbones, which had a hint of shimmer powder along the tops.

"Wow, Portia! This is the best I've ever looked, thank you!" I exclaimed, turning and pulling the taller woman into a tight hug.

The tall, willowy brunette returned the embrace, then held me by the shoulders to stare me in the eyes. "You have always been beautiful, no matter what anyone tells you." The normally bubbly woman was deadly serious, so I didn't dare rebuke her. "All I did was make that beauty shine brighter than the stars," she turned me around and smacked my bottom to push me out to the living room.

"H-hey!" I jumped about two feet out of the room, holding my sore butt and glaring at Julianus, who had laughed as I stumbled into the hall. I started down the hall towards him, still rubbing my butt with a betrayed expression. "The jeans are too long..." I muttered when I was in front of him.

He laughed again, holding up one hand. "That's what's these are for." I took what he offered, which turned out to be a pair of gladiator-style high heels. When the weight of the shoes registered, I glanced up at Julianus in confusion.

"Why are they made of metal?" I asked, a freshly plucked brow raising.

He shrugged like the answer was obvious, "The club is cracking down on people bringing in weapons, so they're for self defense. Can't bring in your chains, so something to channel your electricity, like the shoes," he tapped them for emphasis, "are needed."

"D'you really think I'll need them, though?" He'd never been this cautious, so it was both slightly worrying and confusing.

" _What?_ Cute, innocent girl like you? You'll have the guys crowding around you, no doubt!" He reached out to ruffle my hair, but I swatted his hand away.

"That took an hour and a half on its own. Don't. Touch. The hair." My glare was back, if slightly teasing.

Julianus held up his hands in defeat, his lower lip sticking out in a fake pout as he did so. He perked up when Portia walked in, also wearing a glittery ensemble and plenty of makeup. "If we're all ready, we should get going." He grabbed his keys off the dining table, and I leaned against the wall to put on my heels.

"Why rush? It's only eleven, the place won't be busy until twelve thirty or so," I said, nearly losing my balance as I stood on one foot to secure the other shoe.

"I dunno. Just wanna get there early," he shrugged, and I rolled my eyes as I finally stood on both feet. I motioned with my hand in a 'get on with it' gesture, and he threw his keys in the air once, catching them with ease, then strode over to the front door. Portia and I shared a glance then followed him out, Portia locking the door behind us.

The drive to the club, Blue Hypnosis, was quick and quiet, and the line was nearly nonexistent when we pulled up. Julianus handed the keys to a valet, and I started for the end of the line, jerking to a stop when he caught my arm. He smirked at my questioning expression, then wrapped an arm around my and Portia's shoulders. "This'll be quite the night."

"That it will," said Portia, snaking her own arm around his waist, poking my side and smiling as we neared the door.

"D'Agostino," Julianus said to the bouncer at the door, and the huge man waved us in after checking his list. "Let's find a table," he continued as he held out his card to the cashier, who swiped it and handed it back in a single second.

I shrugged, "Might as well, before the place gets packed." My eyes roamed over the small crowd of club goers, spotting an empty table in the far corner. Pointing it out, I yelled over the heavy bass, "Found one!"

"Great! You two head over there, I'm going to get us water bottles," Julianus yelled back, and Portia and I pushed our way through the dancers to the table I'd pointed out. Once there, Portia took off the leather jacket that she had grabbed on the way out of their apartment and placed it on the table to show others that it was taken. We didn't say anything as we waited, instead tapping our fingers to the beat.

Portia smiled at me awkwardly as Julianus came back, placing our water bottles down and taking off his own jacket, then taking Portia's hand and heading off to the dance floor. Leaving me to fend for myself in a slowly more packed club. _Wonderful._

Not wanting to be the weird girl to dance alone, I uncapped a water bottle, sipping it to calm my nerves. I didn't know how much time passed, but it felt like an hour before someone came up to the table. He was very obviously older than twenty, the cut off age for tonight, so I had no idea how he got in, except that maybe he was the owner. His first words made me think that was the correct guess.

"Are you doing alright, miss?" He looked truly concerned and trustworthy, but his next words made me want to slap the well-groomed mustache off his face. "Maybe I can alleviate your boredom?" Him handing me a glass set off several alarm bells, and I slapped the no doubt drugged drink out of his hand, glaring as fiercely as I could.

"Piss off, jackass," said another male voice, and I turned to see the prince of all people staring the creep down. Following him were his three friends and Cor, all of whom were glaring at the man who had offered me the drink.

* * *

Noctis had asked Commander Nerio where the club was, but she had seemed angry when he said he and his friends would be going. He managed to get the info he wanted out of her, and walked back to the car he and his friends were using. "They're going to Blue Hypnosis."

"I know where that is!" exclaimed Prompto, the sixteen year old bouncing in place like he'd eaten too much sugar.

"So do I," said a much deeper voice, and Noctis cringed as he turned to face Cor Leonis. "And you're not going without a guard."

Well, that was unexpected. Noctis had been positive Cor would insist they not go. Period. But now he was g _oing with them?_ That was so out of the norm, the young prince didn't really know how to respond. Luckily, Ignis spoke for them all, the eighteen year old once again being the responsible, intelligent one of the group.

"Thank you, sir. We'd be glad to have you accompany us." He was tossing the car keys from hand to hand, not really looking at any of them, instead his eyes wandered over the crowds pouring out of the coliseum and into cars or simply walking home.

"Alright then." Cor glanced them over with a critical glance. "We'll have to change. We already stick out in a crowd, we don't want to make it worse by wearing more formal clothes than anyone else."

The four teens weren't sure what exactly he meant, but figured he knew better than them. Glancing at each other, they shrugged and got into the Regalia, Ignis starting up the car and pulling out onto the main highway. The drive home would have been quiet, but Prompto turned on the radio and proceeded to sing along to an extremely annoying pop song.

The entire trip.

Once home, the four teens rushed to get changed into their idea of proper club attire. Which, for them, meant lots of black and skull motifs. They rushed down the palace grand staircase to the foyer where Cor waited for them. The head guard was talking to a lackey when they skidded to a stop next to him, and Cor waved the other guard away, then once again looked over them with a critical eye, ending in a defeated sigh.

"It'll do, I suppose," he said, and his expression was one of resignation.

That hit a nerve with Noctis. _He_ had been the one to tell them to change, when what they'd been wearing earlier should have been perfectly alright. Now they were _just okay._ "That so?" he asked, his annoyance only showing deep in his eyes. One would have to be seriously searching for it to find it.

Cor ignored him, which struck another nerve. "Let's head out. Don't want to get there late, now do we?"

"How could we get there late?" asked Prompto. "The place doesn't get busy for another two hours, so we got time."

Cor ignored him as well, pulling on a leather jacket over his tee-shirt and heading out to where the cars were parked. "Just follow me and don't get lost."

"Will do." Gladio said, hopping into the Regalia, much to Iggy's annoyance. "Let's _go!_ " The other three chose a more dignified manner of entering the car, but they were soon off to the club district of the vast city. Prompto once again cranked up the radio, saying he was getting ready for the party. Following Cor was easier than expected with how much traffic there was, and Ignis had no trouble keeping close even in the busy club district.

The building Cor stopped in front of looked high end, not that this was anything new to the four teens. Cor led them to the front of the long line, and the bouncer made the mistake of stopping him.

"Hold on, buddy. You look a bit older than twenty. Can't let you in."

Cor did the one thing that terrified Noctis most. He smiled, then spoke in a calm, soft voice, "I think you'll make an exception for me."

The bouncer's hackles rose, and he puffed out his well-developed chest. "And just _who_ are _you?_ "

"Ah, me?" Cor said, sarcasm evident in his tone. "Just Cor Leonis, head of the palace guard, and the prince's escort for tonight," he pointed over his shoulder at the four teens,and the bouncer's eyes widened comically at who it was that Cor had with him. Nodding silently, he lifted the rope and waved them in, still in a state of shock.

As they walked in, Cor's smile turned into a smirk, and it was plain unnerving to Noctis. Pushing the thought out of his mind, he began to search for a now familiar head of curly, reddish blonde hair, only it was nowhere in sight. He was about to give up and just find a table to snooze at when something in a back corner caught his gaze.

An older man was handing a girl who didn't look of age yet a clearly alcoholic drink. When the girl swatted the drink to the floor, a white light passed over her, lighting up her eyes. A fierce, icy green. Noctis pushed through the dancers until he stood behind the creep.

"Piss off, jackass," he said, a strange sense of pride welling up at the gratitude in Azrael's eyes.

The creepy older guy (the mustache really didn't help his case) turned with a glare to Noctis as Ignis, Gladio, Prompto, and Cor caught up to them. "And why should I?"

"Because I said so."

"And why should I listen to you, ya little runt?"

"Your Highness," Azrael cut in, standing and striding over to the two who were arguing, pushing the older man away. "He's not worth it. Let's just find a different table," she grabbed his hand and began to pull him to another empty table, then jerked him in front of her, nearly making him fall to the ground. She kicked out at someone behind her, and the smell of ozone filled the air as electricity sparked off her heels. Noctis saw it was the man from before, out cold as his hands and feet twitched.

"Boss!" shouted someone nearby, and several other men came rushing, fists up, at Azrael, Noctis, and the others. Before they could reach them, three others cut them off. The group included Bellona, Julianus, and another, brown-haired woman Noctis had never met. Three of the five were down in a matter of seconds, the other two following as the cousins punched them down.

For several minutes, the only sound in the club was the overly loud music as the club goers stared in shock at the Infiltration Squadron's leader and protegee, as well as another member took out the gang. Soon, other noises trickled back in, and Bellona held out a hand to Julianus. "Good work today, soldier. Mission complete."

"Thank you, ma-"

"Ex _cuse_ me?" broke in an incredulous Azrael, and the two jumped, staring at her sheepishly.

* * *

"You used me as _bait?"_ I shouted, beyond betrayed. Julianus was the first person to show me genuine kindness, he was my brother of sorts, my confidant. And he had _used_ me to catch a criminal. I could feel the tears welling up, and didn't bother trying to stop them as they smudged my makeup. I backed up, my legs shaking and holding my head in one hand as I tried to find an explanation for what had occurred.

 _There had to be a reason, right? He had to have done it on accident. Maybe this was an ongoing mission that he had been a part of for months. Maybe._

But maybe wasn't good enough for me. And Portia had known as well. They **_used me!_**

My entire body shook as I pushed past Julianus to the exit, the crowd on the dance floor making a path for me. _This is why I have so few friends. I'm dangerous, I'm volatile, I'm a liability. I'm a trained killer, for Etro's sake!_

I stepped out of the club right as the first drops fell onto the pavement. For once the weather matched my mood, and it had to be the day where I was struggling with a hurricane of dark thoughts. The people on the sidewalk stared at the stupid girl out and about in the rain without a jacket, but the looks didn't bother me now. I didn't know why they ever did. They were always there, condescending and disapproving, malicious and withering.

I heard steps behind me as I turned onto a side alley, but it was when the hand went around my shoulders that I swung. The man caught my weak fist easily, and I backed away from him with my head lowered in shame. It was Cor, and I had raised a hand to a C.O. I didn't even want to know how much trouble I'd be in tomorrow.

"Get in the car."

A warm, leather jacket was tossed carelessly over my shoulders, and Cor began to walk back to his pricey looking sports car. Stunned, I stumbled after him, the straps of the shoes chaffing my ankles from the water. Opening the car door and sliding into the interior, I pulled my arms through the jacket sleeves, buckled in, and turned the AC duct towards myself, hoping he didn't mind as I basked in the heat. Instead, when I turned to him to say my thanks, he had the faintest smile on his lips.

"Excuse me for speaking out of turn, sir, but is there a reason I'm in your car?"

The smile grew, and he put the car into gear. "Can't have you getting sick the day before the rest of your life in the military starts, now can we?"

He was no doubt referring to the Unit Selection tomorrow, so I shrugged. "I don't really think it matters. My score was probably abysmal after the botched match today, so any unit won't want to take me."

"I agree with that part." I flinched at his words. "But," he said, turning onto the main freeway, his tone making me look up. He met my gaze in the mirror as rain poured off the windows. "Your performance in the face of a life or death situation was admirable. And highly impressive, even to me." At this, the car fell silent for several minutes, and I pulled on a loose string on my jeans.

"S-sir?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Azrael?" he responded immediately, making me flinch again. I never expected him to call me by my given name.

"...Did you know? About the mission?" I was honestly afraid to hear his answer.

Cor was silent for another few minutes, apparently searching for the right words. When he spoke, I wanted to hide my face in my hands. "I suspected. I knew about the mission, yes, but it was a long-term one, so I didn't know it go down tonight. My suspicion started when I saw Don Borgia talking to you."

I promptly deflated, slumping back into the seat, "So I _was_ bait..." I mumbled, the feeling of betrayal welling up once again. I started when I felt the car slow to a stop, and glanced out the window to see us parked on the shoulder about ten minutes from my house.

"Azrael, look at me," Cor said, his tone deadly serious. I hesitated a second more, then whipped around when he sighed impatiently. I met his pale blue eyes with my wide green gaze, not knowing what to expect. Definitely not him pulling me into a hug. I froze as he began to speak again. "That can't be helped, but I'm sure your cousin had his reasoning, and that it was sound in his own mind. That doesn't make it right."

He pulled away to look me in the face again. "Don't let it bother you for too long, okay? Promise me that."

"Yes, sir," I said, a sense of wonder washing over me.

He smiled again, "And it's just Cor when I'm off duty, Azrael."

"Yes, s-... I mean, sure thing, Cor."

"Good. Now, let's get you home." He started up the car again, quickly making it to my home and dropping me off. I tried to hand him back his jacket, but he simply waved me inside. It was as I ran in the front door that I remembered my uniform was at my cousin's place.

Dammit.

* * *

 **Thank you once again for reading! Please leave a review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or its characters.**


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